


Five Python Related Incidents

by Garecc



Series: Of Immortals [8]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, The Trials of Apollo - Rick Riordan
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-19
Updated: 2018-02-19
Packaged: 2019-03-21 03:35:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13732299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Garecc/pseuds/Garecc
Summary: Five times Python came back to haunt everyone's favorite sun god.i. Artemis waits for her brother to return on Olympusii. Apollo has a nightmareiii. Apollo hates snakesiv. Serpents suckv. Python rises again. (aka a mistake)





	Five Python Related Incidents

**Author's Note:**

  * For [youurelovely](https://archiveofourown.org/users/youurelovely/gifts).



> The last two suck sorry

i.

 

I sat perched on the side of the Mount Olympus, staring down at the valley below. There wasn't a single a flicker of movement from the mountainside.  

“Where _Is_ he?” I muttered to myself, it had been _hours_ since dusk, and Apollo _still_ has yet to return. It had been THREE DAYS since he left without a word! Only leaving a simple note staying “I’ll be back in a few days”

 _Where_ **_is_ ** _he?_

I was beginning to worry.

I didn't _want_ to be worried, I had all the faith in the world in my brother, but he _is_ reckless. That is indisputable. No matter how strong he is, bad things can _still_ happen. Bad things _always_ happen. With every passing minute, doubt over his safety grew in my mind.

You could say I was concerned.

After another minute of scanning the mountainside, I finally decided to head to bed. I stretched and started walking back towards the city. “He’ll be here at dawn. He _can’t_ take much longer.” I muttered, making my way through the thick foliage.

I started back to my quarters, trying to calm my frayed nerves.

 _He had to be safe, right?_ As I was walking I heard a pained gasp from somewhere nearby, I froze, listening to see if I would hear it again. I did, but a bit further away. I rushed after the sound, curiosity getting the better of me.I found myself stumbling through the greenery after what for all I knew was a drunk satyr. I hid behind a tree when I saw a figure.

To be completely honest, I half expected to see a dying mortal on the ground, or a minor god drunk on the ground.

Sadly, I saw neither of these things. Instead, I saw Apollo, ichor shining on his arms and through his clothes. He was leaning on the wall, his eyes squeezed shut.

I froze in shock, my eyes widening, Apollo looked around after a moment, before soundlessly slipping into the baths. I stepped out of the bushes, intending on following him. I froze as I felt a hand on my shoulder.

“Artemis,” my father's cold voice cut through the air, I froze. “It's much too late for you to be awake. Go to your room.”

“But father-”

“No buts. Shoo.” Zeus glared at me, and I nodded, hurrying back to my room, I heard the door lock behind me.

I fell to my knees inside the room, hands pressed to my mouth.

_Oh god oh god he’s hurt what happened who hurt him why didn't he come find me who DARED HURT HIM._

 

_________

 

That morning, I rushed to Apollo’s room, only to find it empty. I felt like my heart dropped to my feet. _Where is he dammit!_

I looked around wildly, stepping out from the room, _where is he oh gods where is he-_

“Artemis!” I whipped around, surprised by the sudden, feminine voice calling my name. Athena was rushing over to me. “Come on! Father has called a meeting, we’re going to be late!” Athena grabbed my wrist and dragged me along.

_I don't want to go I need to find Apollo_

We arrived in the throne room quickly, everyone was already there. Athena nodded towards my throne. Her message was clear. _Hurry up._ I jogged over, clambering onto the throne that was just a _bit_ too tall for my true form to sit on comfortably.  

Apollo was sitting on his throne, I stared at him, scanning him for any injuries. Zeus cleared his throat, and Apollo jumped in his seat, glancing at father, before sliding off his throne. He walked to the center of the semicircle of thrones. My eyes settled on what was CLEARLY a puncture wound on his bicep.

“I have defeated Python.” He announced.

_Wait what?_

I nearly fell off my throne from shock. _Why is he so reckless oh gods-_

“The fight was easy! I went to attack the serpent, I called for him to come out and fight me…” He went on to tell a story that certainly didn't match his appearance from last night. A story of a fight that certainly did not match the still healing wound only just visible from my throne. A story that I didn't believe for a single moment.

 

ii.

 

I woke up to a loud scream. Alas, this is _not_ the first time this has happened to me. It’s surprising how often you wake up to screams on Olympus. , but this _is_ the first time it has happened while I was camping. With Apollo. Not surrounded by a bunch of minor gods. The scream was muffled, but it was still loud enough to wake me up.

I could hear sobbing gasps coming from across the tent.

That is not what I typically wake up to, mind you.

I rolled over, turning to face the cot my brother was laying on, or at least, _had been_ laying on. Apollo was sitting up, his shoulders heaving. I don't think he realized I was awake.  “I killed you.. I killed you... you _fucking_ serpent! You're dead! You're  _dead”_ Oh gods… Python? I _knew_ I should have spoken to him about that dammed serpent.

Apollo had buried his head in his hands. His entire body was shaking.

_He had a nightmare. About that Tartarus damned snake._

I sat up, his head snapped up to look at me, his eyes wide. “I-” His voice hitched in his throat. He looked both afraid _and_ relieved that I was awake. Almost like he couldn't decide if that it was good or bad.

I walked over to his cot, sitting next to him.

“Hey..” He sniffled miserably. I reached over and put my hand over his. He didn't pull away.

“Sorry- Sorry for waking you” He whimpered.

“It’s fine, I'm not mad,” I smiled weakly at him. He didn't smile back.

“Did you have a nightmare?” Apollo freezes caught red-handed. “I- I mean of course you did. That's a stupid question..”

Apollo wiped furiously at his eyes with his free hand.

“Do you want to talk about it?” I asked quietly.

He shook his head. _No then._

I nodded. “Okay. You don't need to… You want a hug?”

Apollo shook his head.

“Okay…” I squeezed his hand gently. He had tears slowly rolling down his cheeks.

He’ll tell me about Python when he’s ready.

_If he’s ever ready._

 

iii.

 

I heard the scream long before I was in the throne room, but the scream wasn’t what made me hurry. Screams echoed around Olympus _far_ to often. What made me hurry was the fact it was _Apollo_ screaming. I didn't know _why_ Apollo was screaming, but he _was,_ and I wasn't going to wait to find out.

I found myself running before I even realized I was, I heard Ares’s laughter before I even got into the room, I drew my bow, ready to shoot that asshole.

There was a large python dead on the floor, an arrow through its head. Apollo was frozen, his eyes wide as he stared at the dead snake.

His hands were trembling.

Apollo locks eyes with Ares, who was cackling, and he just bolts. I ran after him. Apollo stumbled to a stop by a break in the trees. His shoulders were heaving and he sunk to the ground by a tree.

“Apollo?” I took a step forward.

He took a shaky breath, not looking up to meet my eyes.

I sat next to him, reaching over and putting a hand on his shoulder. “Can you tell me what happened?”

“I- I _hate_ snakes,” He said quickly. That doesn't make anything clearer, but thanks anyway “I _hate them. I hate hate hate hate them._ ”

“I know,” I said quietly. “I know.”

“I _hate_ them.” He repeated. “They…” He swallowed. “I _hate them_ ”

“Why?” I asked quietly. “

Apollo tensed. “I- when- when they touch me I feel like my heart will punch out of my chest and- and I can't- I feel my skin crawling and- and I _hate them”_

“Are you sure your not afraid ‘Pollo?” I asked quietly.

“I don't- I just-” He wipes furiously at his eyes.

“You know you don’t have to be flawless, right?”

Apollo froze.

“Sure, we’re Olympians. Gods, flawless beings.” I poured as much sarcasm as possible into that sentence. “But look around, EVERYONE has flaws. Ares is an asshole. Zeus cheats on Hera, Poseidon is a salty old man, its okay for you to be afraid. It's okay.” I smiled weakly. Tears welled up in his eyes.

 _I didn't mean to make him cry_ “Hey- I didn't mean—”

“ _Thank you”_ He smiled weakly.

 

iv.

 

I laughed as I shot hellhound after hellhound. This is to easy! I turned to find my brother, only to see him fighting a serpent.

I swear I felt my heart drop to my feet.

He shot it between the eyes and it disintegrated. His entire body was tense, I was by his side in seconds, guarding his back. “How much longer should we train?” I asked, glancing around at the oncoming enemies.  
“I-” His voice hitched in his throat. “I don't know. Till father says we can go I guess”

Not much longer after, Zeus ended the training session. He wasn't smiling.

He started ranting about how sloppy our marksmanship was, and that we should be working so much harder. I tuned him out.

After Zeus’s mini-rant was over, Apollo was tense and his expression was just blank. Every few minutes he would clench his fist.

I _knew_ this was about Python. “Hey.. Let's go eat alright?”

He nodded.

“That was an enjoyable fight wasn't it ‘Pollo?”

“Yeah.” His voice was distant, his eyes glued to somewhere on the horizon.

It took all of my willpower not to scoop him into a hug. “Are you okay..?” I asked quietly, already knowing the answer.

Apollo was silent for a long moment. He shook his head. He pressed his hand to his mouth and stifled a sob. I wrapped an arm around his shoulders and walked him away.

“Hey…. let's go to your palace. Alright?”

“Ok..” He pulled away from me. His hands clasping together.

 

v.

 

 

Apollo was shaking. His entire body was shaking. I didn’t know what to do. His eyes were wide and his hands pressed to his forehead.

“Python is alive again.” He sounded terrified and small. “He’s alive again. H- He has Delphi-”

I didn't know what to do.

I sat next to him, placing my hand over his. “You can beat him, Apollo. When the demigods stop the mind splitting thing, you can go fight him. You’re strong and perfectly capable. It's okay.”

Apollo hunched forward, curling in on himself. “I'm sorry”

“It's okay Apollo. Its okay”

* * *

 

Python is back.

Python is back.

_Python is back._

My throat felt like it was constricting.

I couldn't pull air into my lungs.

No. No no no no no no.

Please no.

_Please no._

I felt my shoulders begin to shake.

My vision darkened around the corners. Artemis put a hand on my shoulder, I jerked away.

My hands were pressed to my forehead, I could hardly breathe.

“Python- Python is alive again” I could hardly breathe. I could hardly think.

Not again please I killed him once I _don't want to do it again._

“He’s alive again. H- He has Delphi-” My voice wouldn't stop shaking.

Artemis sat down next to me, placing her hand on mine. “You can beat him, Apollo. When the demigods stop the mind splitting thing, you can go fight him. You’re strong and perfectly capable. It's okay.” Her voice was calming, steady. Like she always is.

I hunched forward, curling in on myself. “I'm sorry”  
“It's okay, Apollo. It's okay.”

**Author's Note:**

> The! Last! One! Was! Horrible!


End file.
